Thiruvananthapuram – Governor Arif Mohammad Khan approved the Chief Minister’s recommendation to reinstate Saji Cherian in the cabinet. Saji Cherian will be sworn in as minister at a ceremony to be held at Raj Bhavan tomorrow at 4 pm. As there is a case in the court against Saji Cherian for criticizing the Constitution, the Governor gave permission to take the oath after seeking legal advice.
He resigned from the ministry on July 6 following his unconstitutional speech. The controversy started with Saji Cherian’s speech at a program organized by the CPM Area Committee at Mallapally in Pathanamthitta district on 3rd July 2022. It was the last CPM state secretariat meeting that decided to re-induct Saji Cherian into the cabinet.
The governor’s position was that criticizing the constitution while he was a minister was an unusual act. After criticizing the constitution, Saji Cherian resigned on the instructions of the Chief Minister, who is the head of the cabinet, and the governor stated that he would check whether there was any change in the circumstances of his resignation. The Governor decided to give permission only after receiving legal advice that there was no obstacle to taking the oath.
At the same time, the complainant Baiju Royal filed an application in the Tiruvalla Court seeking postponement of the consideration of the police report acquitting Saji Cherian. The petition filed by him in the High Court is required to be stayed till the decision is made. The court adjourned the verdict to tomorrow.
Saji Cherian started his political activities as a member of SFI when he was a student of 8th standard. The first assembly contest was in 2006. He contested for the Legislative Assembly from Chengannur against PC Vishnu Nath but failed. The first victory was in Chengannur by-election in 2018 after the death of KK Ramachandran Nair. The contest was held when he was the district secretary of the CPM. Before becoming an MLA, Saji Cherian was an LIC agent, a catering service operator and a computer training center operator.
He was CPM Chengannur area secretary for eight years. Then he reached the district committee and the district secretariat. Worked as SFI District President and Secretary, DYFI District President and Secretary, Alappuzha District Co-operative Bank President and Kerala University Syndicate Member. In 1995, he won from Mulakuzha Division and became the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Development Affairs in the District Panchayat Administrative Committee. He was the president of Chengannur Block Panchayat.
Mulakuzha Kozhuvallur Thengumthara late Rt. Statistics Officer T.T. Cherian and Rt. Teacher P.V. He was born on April 12, 1965 as the son of Shoshamma. During his undergraduate education at a Christian college, he became a college union representative. Mavelikkara graduated from Bishop Moore College with a degree in Economics.
English Summary: Saji Cheriyan All Set To Return To Cabinet As Governor Gives Nod